Safety protective envelope



Mar. 27, W23. I TASQ JSQ c. H. BLACK SAFETY PROTECTIVE ENVELOPE- Filed April 18, 1922 2 sheets-sheet l @arfw 155L52 Mar, 27, 1923 L45J3 c. H. BLACK SAFETY PROTECTIVE ENVELOPE Filed April 18, 19"2 2 sheets-sheet Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES itans PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BLACK, OF SCOTTDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY PROTECTIVE ENVELOPE.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BLACK, citizen of the United States, residing at Scottdalc, in the'county of \Vestniorelan'l and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful-Improvements in a Safety Protective Envelope, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelopes. l0

vide an improved envelope which. when sealed, cannot be opened without being mutilated so as to show that it has been opened. A further object is to provide an envelope of this character that is more conveniently and easily sealed than other envelopes of this character.

A further object is to provide an envelope of this character that is constructed of a single blank of paper or other sheet material, at a low cost, and is substantial and thoroughly practical.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in the following d'etails of description, in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an inner side view of the blank from -.which my improved envelope is formed.

7 Fig. 2 is a view showing the envelope partly closed but not sealed.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the envelope closed and sealed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Y

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating a modified form such as known as the open-end en-, velope.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in

which similar reference characters correspond to similar parts throughout the several views: The invention consists in the construction and arrangements which will now be fully described in the following:

This envelope includes five main sections, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the latter being the top section or closure; and the other four scctions forming the pocket to be closed by the closure 5. The pocket is formed by folding the blank (Fig. 1) along the fold-lines 6, 7 and 8so. as to bring the end sections 3 and 4 onto the intermediate section 1, and to bring the lower section onto the sections 3 and 4.

The main object of .the invention is to pro- Application filed Apri118, 1922. Serial No. 554,644.

' Gum or adhesive substance is provided at 9, on the end sections 3 and 4, and when these sections are secured, by this adhesive substance, to the section 2, these three sections form the rear wall of the pocket. An opening or space 10 is provided between'the inner ends of the sections 3 and 4 and above the upper end of the section 2, foran important purpose, as will presently be seen.

The closure 5 includes three sub-sections or gummed flaps 11 and 12, the latter being between the two similarly constructed and gummed flaps 11. T he gum or adhesive substance of these flaps 11 is applied to the inner surface, as shown at 13, so that when moistened and pressed on the outer surface of the rear wall, they will adhere thereto and seal the envelope in the usual way; but the flap 12 is gummed in its outer surface, as shown at 14; and this flap 12, in connection with the recess or opening 10, constitutes the safety feature of this device. This'feature is made pioniinent by the presence of notches 15 at opposite sides of the flap 12; for these notches receive the upper edge of the section 8 2 and combine therewith to make a closefitting interlocking joint between the lower part of the closed section 5 and the rear wall of the pocket. The upper end of theopening 10 merges with the opening of the ocket of the envelope, so that no difiiculty 1s experienced in quickly inserting the tongue or flap '12 in this opening and thence extending it into the pocket.

In sealing the envelope, its flaps 11 and 12 first have their gummed surfaces moistened, then theflap 12 is bent inwards so that its gumm ed surface is against the inner surface of the rear wall, while the gummed surfaces of the flaps 11 are against the outer surface of the rear wall. Therefore, when the gum or adhesive dries or sets the section 5 is not only interlocked with the rear wall of the pocket, but also glued or cemented to both the inner and outer surfaces of the 100 pocket.

It will be noted that the flaps 11 are provided with curved edges, leading from the notches 15, which curved edges eliminate sharp corners or points on said flaps adja- 105 cent the tongue .or flap 12. Such sharp points have been found in the actual hansecurely scaled down, and consequently have a tendencyw to catch in adjacent pieces of mail.

It will further be noted that the flaps. 11

extend down over the uppermost edge of the section 2 of the pocket, and are secured thereto, thereby effectively preventing the undetected opening of this lower section, which mightbe'. accomplished if this were not the case. L Furthermore, due to the faetthat the flap 12 is gummed on the outside, rather than on the inside, it is secured to the inner surface of the envelope pocket, and while preventing the undetected opening of the envelope, it in no wise interferes with the ready removal of the contents of the envelope" by the proper party.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction and arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5, but changes may he made within the scope of the inventive idea,

-as implied and claimed; for instance, I may eliminate part of the gum or adhesive, as in Fig. 6, so that when the envelope is sealed at its intermediate part, its ends, or either one of the ends, may be opened as isthe ordinary open-end envelope. I

What I claim as my invention is:-

An envelope the pocket of whichdncludes I a rear wall iormedof two inwardly turned end-sections and an upwardly turned lower section, this rear wall also including a space between said end sections and above said lower section, and a closure including three securing flaps, two of said flaps overlapping CHARLES H. BLACK. 

